Door-operating mechanism for dump-cars.



A. CAMPBELL.

DOOR GPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMPCARS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 1914.

151%(L1 1 1 htented May 18, 1915 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES Mali INV NTOR.

A TTORNE Y THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOT0-LlTHo., WASHINGTON, 0. c.

A. CAMPBELL.

DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 1914.

1 1.41,.1 1 1. P11181161 May 18, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES.- N EN TQR. L Z 01- ATTO EY THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHC iTO LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. C.

A. CAMPBELL.

DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS. APPLI CATION FILED IUN E I2. 1914.

1,140,1 1 1, Patented May 18, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 U Jl WITNESSES:

THE NORRJS PETERS CO4. FHOTO-LITHUH WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED. STATES rn'rE rv oEEIoE.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To ENTERPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 18, 1915,

Application filed. June 12, 1914. Serial No. 844,627.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AEGYLE CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Door- Operating Mechanism for Dump-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in door operating mechanism for dump cars.

The object of my invention is, to provide a door operating mechanism for dump cars of cheap and simple construction and eflicient operation.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, I haveillustrated my door operating mechanism as applied to a railroad car of the general service type, though it will be apparent that the features embody- Ing my invention may be applied to, and

used in connection with, hoppers of many varieties, or with any type of dump car.

, In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of approximately half a railroad dump car showing the door operating mechanism embodying my invention in position thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial cross section illustrating a detail shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial cross section identical with Fig. 3, but showing in elevation thereon one of the ratchets mounted on the operating shaft, and the latch and dog associated therewith.v Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating in detail one of the intermediate ratchets mounted on the operating shaft and the immediately adjacent parts. Fig. 6 is a detail showing in end view one of the limiting plates for the operating shaft. Fig. 7 is a detail illustrating one of the end ratchets on the operating shaft.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 8 represents a railroad dump car body provided with a suitable underframe 9, and having at suitable intervals along either The car body is also provided with a series of downwardly opening doors 12 -12, the said doors being hinged at their inner ends '13, and connected at their outer ends 14 .14 to the operating shafts 15-15 on the correspond- Ing side of the car by suitable flexible members, preferably the chains 1616.

Inasmuch as the operating shafts and the In preferable construction, the doors 12,0f

the car equal in number the intervals between the stakes of the side of the car, and each door is provided with two flexible members l6,16 connecting it to an operating shaft 15. Each shaft 15 extends substantially from one end to the center of the car, and rests at the point of passage by each stake of the car upon a diaphragm 17. Each diaphragm 17 is connected to a filler plate 18 which forms the connection to the adjacent side stake 19 and bottom side angle 20 which is located beneath side hopper sheet 21. A preferably strap-like member 22, which for convenience hereinafter is denominated a strap, is secured to the diaphragm 17 and the side stake, 19. A longitudinal opening 23 is thus provided between the strap 22, the diaphragm 17 and the side stake 19. The operating shafts 15 pass through these openings and also the round holes in filler plates 18. This structure obviates the necessity of providing journal bearings for the operating shafts 15, the

members surrounding the opening 23 providing bearings therefor. Each operating shaft 15 is provided with ratchets 2424,

1515. operating shaft 15 is provided intermediate its ends with a plurality of ratchets 24E24= there being preferably one for each side stake 19, the said ratchets each having associated therewith a latch 25 and a dog. 26 therefor, the same being mounted upon a bracket 29 secured to the adjacent side stake 19. The ratchets intermediate the ends of the shaft may be employed to relieve'the vent longitudinal movement of the shafts In preferable construction, each shaft from torsional strain exerted thereon by the flexible members connecting the dump doors to the operating shaft. The doors may be closed by suitably rotating the operating shaft from one of its ends, and upon closure of the doors the adjacent latch and dog placed in locking position, and thereupon the operator may place the latches in engagement with their respective ratchets intermediate the ends of the operating shafts. Thus when the car receives its load, the torsional strain upon the operating shaft instead of being from end to end of the rod, is relieved at the intervals measured by the distance from one intermediate ratchet to the other. Thus in the structure described a comparatively light operating shaft may be used; further, the shaft is not weakened by perforations therein for receiving cotters or pins to prevent its longitudinal movement; and also the shaft may be readily and economically mounted by reason of the absence of the usual journal bearings therefor, heretofore generally employed.

I claim: I

1. In a dump car, the combination with a car-body having doors therein, side stakes and diaphragms, operating shafts, flexible members connecting said shafts to said doors, said shafts resting on said diaphragms adjacent to said side stakes and straps connecting said diaphragm and said side stake for the purpose of holding in position said shafts.

2. In a dump car of the class described, the combination-of drop doors, diaphragms attached to side'stakes, operating shafts at tached to the car doors by flexible connections, said shafts resting upon said diaphragms adjacent to said side stakes and being held in position by straps connected to said side stakes and diaphragms.

3. In a dump car, the combination with a car body having doors, side stakes, diaphragms, operating shafts and flexible members connecting the doors to the operating shafts, said operating shafts being at rest upon said diaphragms and adjacent to said side stakes and held in position by strap members attached to said diaphragms and "side stakes.

4. In a dump car, thecombination with a car body having doors therein, of an operating shaft and flexible members connecting the operating shaft to the door, side stakes, lateral members connected thereto, straps connected to the side stakes and lateral members, and surrounding the operating shaft.

5. In a dump car, the combination with a car body having doors, side stakes and dia- 'iphragms, of an operating shaft and flexible members connecting the doors to the operating shaft and members connecting the combination with a car body having dumping doors and an operating shaft for said doors, of means for preventing longitudinal movement of said shaft, said means including aplate fixed to the car and extending over an end'of said shaft. I

8. In a car-of the character described, the combination with a carbody having dumping doors and an operating shaft for said doors, of means for preventing longitudinal movement of said shaft, said means comprising plates at'each end of the shaft and extending over the'end's thereof,'said plates being detachably connected to the car.

9. In a dump car, acar body, doors mounted therein, an operating shaft longitudinally mounted in said body, and flexible means connecting the doors to said operating shaft, and means for limiting the longitudinal movement of said shaft, said means including a limiting plate'removably secured to the car body at one end of the shaft.

10. In -a dump car, a car body having doors and an operating shaft longitudinally mounted in'said body, flexible members connectingthe doors to the operating shaft, and ratchets, the said ratchets being mounted'upon the shaft intermediate its ends, the car body being provided with means for engaging'said ratchets to limit the torsional strain upon the operating shaft of said flexible members. I

11. In a dump car, the combination with a car body having doors therein, an operating shaft longitudinally mounted in said body, flexible members connecting the doors to said shaft, limiting stops or plates abutting the end'or ends of the operating shaft to prevent movement of said shaft in a longitudinal direction.

12. In a dump car,"the combination with a car body having doors,'operating shaft, flexible members connecting the doors and operating shaft, of a'plurality of ratchets or stop members on said shaft for the purpose of reducing the torsional strain on said operating shaft and providing additional lockingmeans for the shaft to further prevent rotation of the shaft when said car bod is in movement or under load.

13. In a dump car, the combination with a car body having dumping doors, diaphragms thereof to thereby reduce the torsional acand side stakes, of longitudinally arranged tion on said shafts and permit" shafts of door operating shafts resting on said diasmall size to be used; phragms at their outer ends and adjacent said side stakes, means for retaining said .ARGYLE CAMPBELL shafts in position, and a plurality of ratchet Witnesses: devices disposed along said shafts, some of CA RIE G. RANZ, which are located intermediate the ends ARLINE R. ARNoLn,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

